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Crockpot Pumpkin Beer Braised Chicken – with buttery onions and creamy homemade mashed potatoes too! You guys – this is a GOOD recipe! Slow-cooked chicken with fresh herbs and buttery onions. All braised in pumpkin beer and apple cider for even more flavor and the yummiest gravy! If there’s one comforting fall and winter meal you must make, it’s this chicken pot roast. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes that are cooked right along with the chicken! This is a one-pot chicken and potato dinner that’s comforting, flavorful, and so delicious. It’s a quintessential family dinner for a cold night in. Time to cozy up!
I’ve been holding onto this recipe for too long. It’s so special and delicious. I’ve been waiting until our fall days really settled in before sharing this!
And after spending time in Chicago this past weekend, where the changing leaves and mild temperatures made for ideal fall weather, I now know it’s time!
Everyone is ready to enter cozy fall and holiday mode, and I’m right there with you all! In fact, I feel like I’m three steps ahead, which is honestly great! The fall and holiday season is always the busiest, so I’m really trying to get us all prepped and ready to go with easy dinners and great recipes for entertaining!
This brings me to today’s recipe: pot roast chicken made easily in the crockpot! I adore this recipe, and when I get home from traveling this week, I’m definitely making it for my family!
If you love a traditional pot roast, this is very similar. I swapped the beef roast for chicken breasts and thighs and braised them slowly in my favorite seasonal pumpkin beer and cider.
The flavor and tenderness are perfect! While I adore a classic pot roast, the chicken feels a little lighter and simpler for weeknight dinners!
Ok, here are the details
Ingredients
- boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or use a mix, I use skinless chicken
- flour
- chili powder
- garlic
- fresh thyme and sage
- salted butter
- sweet yellow onions
- your favorite beer, I love pumpkin beer (you can also replace the beer with broth or additional apple cider)
- apple cider (or use broth)
- potatoes, I like Yukon Gold
- cream cheese
- garlic powder
Tools
- Crockpot
- Braiser
Step 1: season the chicken
Working in the bowl of your crockpot, season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Then, rub the chicken pieces all over with flour, chili powder, garlic, fresh thyme, and fresh sage.
The flour will slowly thicken the gravy, so don’t skip it. If needed, feel free to use gluten-free flour.
Step 2: the onions
Now that you’ve taken care of the chicken, start the onions. The key is to slice them thinly. I prefer to use a lot of onions, but you do what you and your family will enjoy most!
Arrange the onions around and underneath the chicken. Then add pats of salted butter.
Step 3: add the potatoes and start cooking
Pour over the beer and apple cider, or feel free to use your favorite broth if you prefer not to cook with beer.
Arrange the potatoes over the chicken. Leave them whole; no chopping required.
Cover and slow cook until it’s dinner time!!
Step 3: broil the chicken
When ready, I transfer everything but the potatoes to a roasting pan. Then, finish cooking the chicken at a high temperature in the oven for 15 minutes.
During this time, the onions should darken a bit in color.
Step 4: the potatoes
While you finish the chicken in the oven, mash the potatoes with cream cheese, butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper!
They are going to be so creamy, buttery and scrumptious!
Step 5: serve and enjoy
Finally, serve the chicken, which should be tender and falling apart into the gravy and onions in the pot.
Serve the mashed potatoes on the side or underneath the chicken and gravy.
It’s the perfect family dinner, so hands off, too.
Of course, I served this with beer bread and a big salad! Great for Sunday nights all fall and winter long.
This pot roast isn’t too difficult, and the potatoes really make the recipe perfect. I’m so excited for you all to make this soon!!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Baked Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Chowder
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Pumpkin Beer Braised Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Pumpkin Beer Braised Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 598 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skin on or off chicken breasts or thighs
- salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3-4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
- 1 pumpkin beer (or use additional cider/broth)
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 pound small/medium potatoes
- 6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons salted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, rub the chicken with flour, chili powder, garlic, thyme, and sage—season with salt and pepper. Arrange the onions under and around the chicken. Add pats of butter. Pour over the apple cider and beer. 2. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.3. If desired, preheat the oven to 475°. Remove the potatoes and set aside. Transfer the chicken, the onions, and the broth to a roasted pan or brasier. Roast for 15 minutes to caramelize the top of the chicken.4. Drop the potatoes back in the crockpot or a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, butter, and garlic powder. Mash well, I leave the skin on—season with salt and pepper. 5. Serve the chicken topped with gravy, onions, and fresh thyme. Serve the potatoes on the side with bread! Enjoy!
This was so good. We don’t have a slow cooker, so we cooked it over the stove like a stew in less than half the time. I don’t know if this is what made it thicken up so well compared to some reviews, but it was nice and thick already before we added a can of pumpkin (the only other change we made to the recipe besides cooking on the stove top and pre caramelizing the onions.)
Definitely going to be a regular this Fall / Winter.
At what point do you shred the chicken? Pre or post braise?
Hey Taylor,
You do not shred the chicken in this recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I made this recipe last weekend to meal prep for the week and we loved it! The chicken had so much flavor. It was a little on the sweeter side from the cider and maybe even the onions, but it paired excellently with the pumpkin beer bread.
The potatoes were not done after 4 hours on low, but I just turned the crock up to high for one more hour and made sure the potatoes were all submerged and they came out perfectly.
I noticed in other comments some were disappointed it didn’t taste like pumpkin – I think the recipe is well advertised that it is made with pumpkin beer, not pumpkin, so the subtle fall flavors were perfect.
Thanks for another great recipe, Tieghan!
Hey Melanie,
I appreciate you trying this dish and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear it turned out well and that you enjoyed the flavors. Great idea to use it for meal prep. Have a great Sunday! xT
This recipe was an overall disappointment for me and did not turn out as pictured at all. The potatoes were so undercooked and the onions were not caramelized at all. I will say the flavor of the chicken was decent due to the beer and slow cooking process. However, to achieve the caramelized onions and enjoy proper mashed potatoes, this recipe needs to be completely re-written without the use of a crockpot. I worked hard on this recipe this evening and I’m bummed cleaning up my dishes. I used a a couple other’s suggestions such as braising longer in the oven and adding flour to the sauce but still nothing like the photo.
Hi Ashley,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback. So very sorry to hear it did not turn out for you! It sounds like your potatoes may have been too big. Again, so sorry! xx
I made this tonight. I followed the recipe to a T & it was great! I made your beer bread to go with it.
Love to hear this, Katrina! Thanks for making this dish and your feedback! Have a great Sunday! xT